stone garden
by Pineapple's Fidelity
Summary: oneshot - in the wake of shiro's death kuro finds comfort in his traditions and the fact that he'll carry shiro inside him always.


**title: **stone garden  
**rating: **t  
**genre: **horror/family  
**characters: **kuro, rin, mentioned shiro  
**word count: **1,276

* * *

Kuro watched curiously as Rin patted the upstanding stone with human words engraved on it. There were dozens of other similar stones spread evenly throughout the place they were in. Some were tall with carved figures other small squares inlaid in the ground and there were others yet like this one, simply rectangles reaching up like sentinels into the sky. Kuro cocked his head to the side contemplatively. He didn't understand why this stone would be any different from the rest. Rin seemed to think it was special, though.

"…I'll come back and see you another time, okay, old man? And by that time I'll be a knight for sure!"

Huh? Old man? Shiro?

Excitedly and half-desperately Kuro alighted onto Rin's shoulder, tails whipping back and forth.

_Old man? Shiro? Where's Shiro, Rin? Where!_

Rin started and stared at Kuro incredulously for a moment.

"Whaddya mean, Kuro? You know the old man is-," Rin blinked, his actions from just a moment ago coming back to him. He supposed demons might not have the same rituals as humans when it came to their dead. "—_oh. _Um, he isn't back or anythin'. He's…well, _he _isn't under there, but his body, it's underground. Under the headstone, sorta."

At that Kuro jumped down to pace in front of the stone, sniffing. He went around the base of it twice and explored the ground surrounding it in search for a scent of his old master. All he got was the scent of damp earth and grass. He looked up at Rin tail ends twitching.

_I don't understand, _Kuro mewed piteously. _Why is Shiro underground? Can you talk to him when he's there?_

"Ah, no," began Rin rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably. "It's…look, I don't really know why we bury people—I mean some people do get cremated—but Dad's gone and I can't talk to him or anything. Well, it's not like I hear a response but talking to where he is…I dunno. It kinda feels like I am? It jus'…helps is all." The half demon shrugged helplessly. His explanation felt inadequate at best.

Kuro agreed. He didn't understand the point of keeping Shiro's body underground and Rin's bumbling explanation had done nothing to ease his confusion. The demon cat did get the idea of having a place to sort of connect to the dead but if Rin had just done what you were supposed to in the first place (Here Kuro was both irritated and relived. Irritated because Rin had not fully honored his father as he should have. Relieved because Kuro had thought Rin _had _done the ritual and he had missed it.) he wouldn't need this silly garden of stones.

The black demon opened his mouth to say just as much when he remembered advice told to him once.

_"More often than not demon rituals are seen as vulgar and grotesque to humans. In some cases it's a valid reaction in others it's simply a case of human squeamishness. Either way, always be careful before you share them, hm?"_

"What?"

_Oh, it's nothing Rin! _grinned Kuro, his tails waving happily behind him. _I think I get it now, though._

"Hehe, I'm glad," returned Rin with a relieved smile of his own. He glanced at his cell then nodded once before motioning Kuro to follow him. "C'mon, it's getting late. We should probably head back."

_Okay! _

Kuro leaped after the retreating Rin to follow him to the Academy. When he came to the gates of the stone garden he looked back green eyes finding Shiro's gravestone quickly enough. He silently promised to come back then trotted on behind Rin.

(-)

Kuro padded along under the light of the full moon his head swiveling this way and that. He somewhat remembered the way to the stones but most of the memory was made up of sights and smells. Things that were much different during the night than during the day. Thankfully, Rin had a strong scent that hadn't quite been washed away in the urban hubbub. In no time at all he came upon his destination the wrought iron fence rising up from the harshly shadowed surroundings.

He sat at the entrance, now closed, tails swaying slowly behind him as he prepared himself. Then without a sound he transformed to his larger form and leapt over the fence.

Careful to avoid crushing the other headstones Kuro made his way unerringly toward Shiro's grave. Kuro murmured an apology to his dead friend, for the injustice Shiro had endured, before beginning to dig. Large mounds of dirt gave way to his paws as he went ,his claws slicing through any stubborn clumps. In no more than a minute wood paneling was exposed to its fullest.

Kuro paced around the edge of the hole he'd dug wondering what he'd find under the wood. Rotted flesh did not bother him too much but he didn't desire to see his friend in such a state. With a determined bob of the head Kuro broke open the wood casing and pulled out the body inside. He laid Shiro's corpse gently on the ground pleasantly surprised. Whatever magic the humans had done to the exorcist's body had kept it relatively untouched by rot.

Green eyes that glowed in the darkness roved over the man's frame taking in every detail for a final time. The green glow disappeared as Kuro closed his eyes, tilted back his head, and gave the warbling cries of a demon cat sending off someone close to them.

(The next day many of the residents surrounding the graveyard would complain of beastly howls and sleepless nights.)

When the haunting song finished, Kuro opened his eyes to stare up at the moon for a moment. He stood in silent vigil before bending his head to nuzzle Shiro. His mouth opened, as if for a yawn, before he began to consume the dead exorcist in large, slow, and reverent bites. Flesh tore with the wet sound of cold meat ripping about with each mouthful. Bones crunched and cracked loudly but easily under his powerful jaws.

Kuro did not particularly care for the taste of Shiro after so many days past his death but he found himself grateful when he scooped up stray pieces of flesh and bone with his tongue that the blood had coagulated. As foul as Shiro tasted Kuro cared less for licking up dirt to make sure all the blood went inside him. He ate the clothes, too, hoping they would not hurt his stomach.

At the end of it Kuro sniffed around for anything him might've missed. He found a bit of a finger and two small clumps of unidentifiable flesh. If Kuro had to name them he would guess they were of Shiro's liver. Assured he'd eaten everything he offered up his final thoughts to the stone marking the dead exorcist's grave and an apology that his sons in all but blood could not participate in the ritual. He hoped Shiro would understand wherever he was.

_You're inside of me now, Shiro. With me forever. If I ever need you I only have to look in me to find you. I only wish Rin and Yukio could have this comfort, too. I didn't think they would agree, though, and I _had _to honor you! It was the only way. Still, if you could leave a bit of yourself in this stone flower I think they would like that._

He returned the disrupted dirt to its proper place and patted it down before reverting to his smaller form and starting home, leaving the strange stone garden behind forever.


End file.
